An Australian Witch'
by Diamond-Danielle
Summary: Caitlin thinks she's just your ordinary 10 year old living in Australia, until she finds out something...


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DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own any Harry Potter characters – they are copyright J.K. Rowling. However, I DO own Caitlin, Gamma, Thomas, Elizabeth, Kivuli, and any other characters I make up in coming chapters. 

BTW, don't worry about the lack of HP characters in this chapter, there will be plenty of JK's beloved characters in coming chapters, too.

'Caitlin! Caitlin, darling, breakfast is ready!' 

"Oh, great." Caitlin thought, struggling to prop herself up in her bed. She rubbed her grey-blue eyes and opened them.

'Caitlin?' Gamma, Caitlin's grandmother, called again, her shrill voice trailing upstairs into Caitlin's breezy bedroom.

'Yes, Gamma! I'll be right down!' Caitlin yawned mightily and stretched her arms.

She finally dragged herself out of bed. She pulled on a T-shirt and a pair of faded jeans and headed downstairs, brushing her dark blonde hair as she went. Nearly tripping over her kitten, Kivuli, as she walked into the bright, sunny kitchen, she smiled at her short, round Gamma.

'Sit down, sweetheart, I've made your favorite – pancakes!' Gamma instructed, pulling out a chair for Caitlin. Slightly perturbed by her Gamma's behavior, she gently took a seat at the table.

'Thanks… I think.' Caitlin said under her breath. Her Gamma hurried about, stacking pancakes on her plate and pouring maple syrup over them, before sitting down herself in front of her ten-year old granddaughter.

'Caitlin, your birthday is coming up next week, as you know,' Gamma started. Caitlin's eyes lit up – of course she knew – it had been the only thing on her mind for the past two months! Caitlin nodded for her to go on, her mouth full of pancakes.

'And I was thinking… Well…' Gamma's impeccable hearing picked up the slight 'tink' of the mail slit door close. She welcomed the distraction.

'Ah! The mail is here – this will help you understand… I hope.' 

She hurried up the hallway and returned with two envelopes. She tossed one in the bin and held the other one close to her chest. Caitlin tried to get a better look at the envelope's addressing. It was brown, and had some sort of stamp on the back… it looked important.

'Here, darling, I believe this is addressed to you…'

Caitlin took the envelope and looked at the writing on the front. It was addressed to her – Caitlin Osment – and even had the room she slept in – 'Upstairs Bedroom' – printed on it. 

'Go on, dear, open it up.' Gamma said gently. Caitlin turned it over, and inspected the stamp. It was green wax, with a 'H' in the middle. She ripped the envelope open and pulled out two sheets of paper, much the same as the envelope in colour. 

'I'll read it out.' Caitlin offered. She smoothed out the first piece of, what looked like, parchment, and began to read it out loud.

'Dear Miss Osment. We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall. Deputy Headmistress.' 

Caitlin looked dubiously at the paper.

'What… was that?' She asked no one in particular. Clearly this was a joke…

'Ah, it's good to see Minerva's got a good job there at Hogwarts…' Gamma smiled fondly, and looked faraway for a moment. 

'Gamma… what does all this mean?' Caitlin asked, bemused. 'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Who is this Minerva McGonagall?' 

'Well, Caitlin. I guess I haven't been truthful with you all these years. But now is the perfect time – I've been waiting all these years just to tell you this… Caitlin – You're a Witch!' Gamma beamed. Caitlin's jaw dropped. She had always thought her Gamma was eccentric… but this was just plain weird.

'Gamma… I think you need to sit down…' Caitlin put a comforting hand on her seemingly delirious grandmother's shoulder. Gamma laughed lightly and turned to Caitlin. She motioned for her to stay there, and walked into her bedroom. She returned a few minutes later, with a stick in her hand.

'This, my dear, is _my_ wand – 11 inches, phoenix feather, ash.' Gamma stared hard at the wand in her hand.

'Yes, Gamma, and I'm Elvis Presley. Really, what's all this about?' Caitlin couldn't help but wonder _why_ Gamma had a 'wand', and _where _she'd gotten it. She had to admit it looked pretty cool. 

'Ah, my dear Caitlin, you've got to believe your old grandmother. Sit down, and I'll tell you everything.' Gamma waved her hand at the couch, and Caitlin sat down.

'All right, Gamma, so, what is this… Hogwarts place?' 

'Best place to start is the beginning – so I guess that's where we'll start.' 

'Caitlin, believe it or not, but your parents were magical, too. Your father, my son, was a born into a wizarding family – your grandfather Henry was also a wizard, you see, but, bless his soul, he passed away many years before you were born. Your mother was born into a muggle family – muggles are non-magical people, dear, just so you know. They both were accepted into Hogwarts on their 11th birthdays, and your father traveled to England every year, coming home only for Christmas & summer holidays.' Gamma said slowly, taking her time, as if trying to remember it all.

'But… the Christmas & summer holidays are the same holidays!' Caitlin protested.

'In Australia, yes, but not in England, where Hogwarts is. Thomas would always come home with new spells and charms, much to the delight of Henry and myself. It wasn't until his fifth year when he started to send owls to Elizabeth… then in the sixth year holidays, he brought her to Australia to meet us… delightful young lady, she was. She had that 'English Rose' look about her… porcelain skin, rosy cheeks, flaming red hair… They spent all of their time together… And when they graduated from Hogwarts, they both got good jobs in the Ministry of Magic… your mother worked for the Department of Misuse of Magical Objects, and your father was part of the Department of Charmed Muggle Objects. Then they got married, it was a beautiful ceremony, and settled down to raise a family. When your mum was very heavily pregnant with you, Thomas was killed in an unfortunate accident… it sent your mother into a tailspin, and just a few days after giving birth to you, she passed away… we thought of a broken heart. You also had a twin… a brother, but, sadly, he couldn't be saved after birth – you were both tiny babies, but fortunately, you survived. I knew you were a witch, but I just didn't want to tell you before now, because…' 

'Because why?' Caitlin demanded, shocked by the overload of information she had just been told.

'Well, I don't know what it's like now, but there were only very few other Australian witches and wizards when I was at Hogwarts. What I mean by that is that I didn't want you to feel isolated – growing up knowing you have all of these powers but not being able to use them because you live here.' Gamma sat down next to Caitlin and waited for her to say something.

'Oh. So… I can do… magic? I'll believe you if you show me something cool, something magical right now. With your wand.' Caitlin put this test forward. 

'Alright. Give me a sec to think of something _cool_.' Gamma picked up her wand and searched her brain for a spell or charm. 

'Ah. Yes. Here, Kivuli, come here kitty!' Gamma called the kitten softly. Kivuli jumped up on the couch and Gamma picked her up and placed her on the table.

'_Ocean, Sea and Suede Shoe_

Turn this kitten all shades of blue!' Gamma waved her wand and then pointed it at Kivuli. The wand sparked and the pitch-black kitten started to turn from a deep navy blue to a pale, sky blue.

'Wow! That was awesome!' Caitlin scooped up Kivuli and stared in joy at her ever-changing coat.

'Now do you believe me?' Gamma asked, grinning.

'Yes! Wow! When can I get my own wand!' Caitlin's smile was ear-to-ear.

'When we go to London… I've got tickets for the day of your birthday – July 18th. And then, of course, you'll be at Hogwarts from September 1st onwards. Come on, I think I've got some books about Hogwarts upstairs… very interesting, you know.' Gamma started up the stairs. 

In all of the excitement, Caitlin had nearly forgotten what Gamma had said about her parents… What a tragic story… Dad was killed in an 'unfortunate accident', Mum had died of a 'broken heart', just days after Caitlin was born… and Caitlin had a twin, but he had died, too. Caitlin was the sole survivor of her intermediate family. And she was a witch. Like her parents before her, and _their _parents before them. This was _a lot _to take in! But, it also did explain a lot – the death of her parents – she had always believed it was a plane accident that had killed them. She was left alone in her thoughts until Gamma came back.

'Here, darling. _Hogwarts: A History_. Mind you, it's probably a bit outdated, but you shouldn't worry about that. We'll get you a new copy when we go to London.' Gamma smiled, placing a dusty, old book on Caitlin's lap. 

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There! That's the first chapter, and I'll write more if I get some reviews! Please, please, PLEASE review! Thanks!

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